As I was having my coffee at Cafe Nero on Friday morning, I was thinking what to do on the following weekend. I thought why not do a one day trip to Oxford. At that very point, I booked a round way train ticket to Oxford, booked a group tour, and that’s it. My Saturday is now all planned.
I am the type of person who likes to have a full itinerary whenever planning for a trip. That’s one of the major reasons I prefer to travel by myself. For anyone who is afraid that they won’t be able to enjoy the trip by themself or that they will get lost- I promise you, if you have a map or a phone that is fully charged, your favorite playlist, and your favorite book – you are all set.
On Saturday morning, I was a little upset with the weather as it was cloudy. Anyhow, I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed up which by the way, got me a little excited for the day. I took the subway to the train station and got there way before time. I always allow myself more cushion time to any new place just so that I have enough time to get lost but find my way again.
I was a little terrified at the train station cause I have never taken a train here and I wasn’t familiar with the system. Anyhow, it was pretty easy to board the train. There were sign boards everywhere guiding you through every step. That’s one of the things I love about London. It’s very tough to get lost here because this city is extremely well connected with boarding signs all over.
My train left from London Paddington station a little after noon and I am not going to lie, I had a pretty great time on the train too. I struck a fun conversation with the lady who sat beside me and she told me few of the must visits at Oxford.
I arrived at Oxford and it felt like a different place as a whole. I started to walk towards Trinity College which was the meeting point of our group tour. As I was walking, it felt I was walking down the streets of Harry Potter set. I crossed the Blackwell book store which is one of the official book stores of Oxford.
I met with the tour guide and then we started our tour. We went inside most of the main buildings and churches and all I can say is that I was in awe. It felt like an honor to visit this place. I would consider myself lucky as yesterday I got to experience Oxford Graduation day. All of the graduates wore their black gown and their families were there with them. There were happy faces everywhere with people taking pictures.
My favorite spot was definitely the dining rooms. If you are a Harry Potter fan, you would know about those long dining rooms with dim lights. The interior design and the entire building is beautifully structured. We visited all the different colleges and also the college dorms where the freshmen stay. After the tour, I had some time to myself. I walked down the roads of Oxford and it was a different feeling all together. I heard a singer singing one of my favorite songs “Yellow” on the roadside and I couldn’t help but stand there and hear his amazing voice for sometime.
In conclusion, I had one of the best days in London yesterday. The excitement of going to a new place by yourself, doing things your way, meeting with the local people, trying out bakery items and coffee from local coffee stores – this is exactly what I look forward to everyday.
Advice for week 3 : Travel while you can
A Message from the Office of Global Engagement:
The safety and security of Drexel students is a priority for the University. As part of the efforts to support Drexel students that are studying abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Global Engagement has conducted a rigorous review of programming and provided additional support to participating students with customized pre-departure orientations and regular check-ins during the required self-isolation period and the term.
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